Blog Category: Farmer Profiles

Prior Street Bees on beekeeping on leased land

Posted by Michalina Hunter on November 14, 2019

Jess and Corbin are participants in the B.C. Land Matching Program (BCLMP), which provides land matching and business support services to new farmers looking for land to farm, as well as landowners interested in finding someone to farm their land. Visit the B.C. Land Matching Program page to learn more about the program and to find a Young Agrarians Land Matcher in your region. ~ Please introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your farm: I’m Corbin and my partner and I keep bees. I worked for a commercial beekeeper for 5 years in the Okanagan, and when we moved to the Island we … Continue reading Prior Street Bees on beekeeping on leased land →

B.C. Business Mentorship Network – Rad-ish Farms

Posted by Melanie Buffel on November 12, 2019

Young Agrarians is celebrating the sixth year of the Business Mentorship Network (BMN) Program. The BMN offers business mentorships to a diverse array of new and young farmers across BC. Through one-on-one mentorship and peer networks, young farmers develops the skills necessary to operate ecologically sustainable and financially viable farm businesses. We love to profile our program participants and celebrate their efforts! Applications now open for the 2019/2020 season. APPLY NOW! Deadline extended to Monday, November 18th, 2019 – Program Application here! What is your name, where do you farm, and who are your mentors? My name is Katie Ralphs from Rad-ish Farm in Duncan, BC (unceded Cowichan Territory). I am supported by … Continue reading B.C. Business Mentorship Network – Rad-ish Farms →

B.C. Business Mentorship Network – Elderberry Grove

Posted by Melanie Buffel on November 04, 2019

Young Agrarians is celebrating the sixth year of the Business Mentorship Network (BMN) Program. The BMN offers business mentorships to a diverse array of new and young farmers across BC. Through one-on-one mentorship and peer networks, young farmers develops the skills necessary to operate ecologically sustainable and financially viable farm businesses. We love to profile our program participants and celebrate their efforts! Applications now open for the 2019/2020 season. APPLY NOW! Deadline extended to Monday, November 18th, 2019 – Program Application here! What is your name, where do you farm, and who are your mentors? Our names are Louise Lecouffe and Jed Wiebe and we operate Elderberry Grove. We farm in the Shuswap … Continue reading B.C. Business Mentorship Network – Elderberry Grove →

B.C. Business Mentorship Network – Blackwater Creek Orchard

Posted by Melanie Buffel on October 29, 2019

Young Agrarians is going into the sixth year of the Business Mentorship Network (BMN) Program. The BMN offers business mentorships to a diverse array of new and young farmers across BC. Through one-on-one mentorship and peer networks, young farmers develops the skills necessary to operate ecologically sustainable and financially viable farm businesses. We love to profile our program participants and celebrate their efforts! Applications now open for the 2019/2020 season. APPLY NOW! Deadline extended to Monday, November 18th, 2019 – Program Application here! What is your name, where do you farm, and who are your mentors? Our names are Riley Peterson and Olivia Kester and we operate Blackwater Creek Orchard in Devine, … Continue reading B.C. Business Mentorship Network – Blackwater Creek Orchard →

B.C. Business Mentorship Network – Bees Please Farms

Posted by Melanie Buffel on October 21, 2019

What is your name, where do you farm, and who are your mentors? My name is Kate Fraser and I run Bees Please Farms in and around Victoria, BC. My business mentor is Seann Dory from Salt and Harrow Farm in Parksville, and my production mentors are Deb and Liam at Six Legs Good Apiaries in East Vancouver. What do you farm? I rent out bees and chickens around the lower island! For the bees, it is a way for people to support bees without having to learn to be a beekeeper. For the chickens it is a way for people to … Continue reading B.C. Business Mentorship Network – Bees Please Farms →

Chris Thoreau on Growing Seed on Leased Land

Posted by Michalina Hunter on September 23, 2019

Chris of the FarmFolk CityFolk Research and Education Seed Farm is a participant in the B.C. Land Matching Program, which provides land matching and business support services to new farmers looking for land to farm, as well as landowners interested in finding someone to farm their land. Visit the B.C. Land Matching Program page to learn more about the program and to find a Young Agrarians Land Matcher in your region. Please introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your farm. I’m Chris Thoreau – former Seed Security Program Director at FarmFolk CityFolk. Our farm is a 3.5 acre site in Abbotsford, BC that is dedicated … Continue reading Chris Thoreau on Growing Seed on Leased Land →

B.C. Business Mentorship Network – Thimble Hill Orchard and Nursery

Posted by Melanie Buffel on September 10, 2019 2 Comments

What is your name, where do you farm, and who are your mentors? My name is Kim Watt and I run Thimble Hill Orchard and Nursery, just outside Nelson B.C. My business mentor is Chris Bodnar of Close to Home Organics in Abbotsford, and my production mentor is Richard Walker of Silver Moon Food Forest in Osoyoos. What do you farm? I grow edible and useful perennial plants through my nursery, and will be selling produce from the orchard once our young trees come into production. The orchard includes nut trees, fruit trees, berries, herbs, and perennial vegetables that are … Continue reading B.C. Business Mentorship Network – Thimble Hill Orchard and Nursery →

Late Bloomers Flower Farm on Farming Leased Land

Posted by Michalina Hunter on August 15, 2019

Photo by Damaris Riedinger Elly of Late Bloomers Flower Farm is a participant in the B.C. Land Matching Program, which provides land matching and business support services to new farmers looking for land to farm, as well as landowners interested in finding someone to farm their land. Visit the B.C. Land Matching Program page to learn more about the program and to find a Young Agrarians Land Matcher in your region. ~ Please introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your farm. I’m Elly Rakhmetouline, and I own and run Late Bloomers Flower Farm. The farm was started three years ago in Richmond, moved to … Continue reading Late Bloomers Flower Farm on Farming Leased Land →

Fields of Hope: Farm Photography Book Fundraiser

Posted by Michalina Hunter on August 15, 2019 1 Comment

Doublejay Farms. Photo by Andrée Thorpe Local photographer Andrée Thorpe has been photographing life on farms for four years. She goes beyond capturing daily activities to focus on what it really means to have a deep commitment to the land, to the community, and to social good. She has learned that farming is serious hard work and that you cannot be afraid to embrace it. Andrée has published a beautiful book called Fields of Hope. It is a collection of images that celebrates farmers and their way of life. With it, the goal is to create a sequence of images in unity to … Continue reading Fields of Hope: Farm Photography Book Fundraiser →

B.C. Business Mentorship Network – Feature on Peninsula Kiwi

Posted by Melanie Buffel on June 10, 2019

Stuart Basset is one of ten participants in the 2018/2019 YA Business Mentorship Program. His business is aptly named Peninsula Kiwi as he is growing kiwis in the Saanich Peninsula on Vancouver Island. Stuart is new to the area and has developed a profit sharing arrangement with the landowner and is taking the stewardship of the land very seriously. Stuart’s inspiration to grow kiwis comes from growing up on a farm in New Zealand, a love for working with plants and literally being able to seeing the fruits of his labour. Peninsula Kiwi is the first business Stuart has run and he applied for the Young Agrarian … Continue reading B.C. Business Mentorship Network – Feature on Peninsula Kiwi →